Anticipating the diagnosis of breast cancer: Screening controversies and warning dreams

Abstract

Mass population screening programs such as mammography represent an attempt to use technology to forecast the presence of disease in asymptomatic individuals. Unfortunately, sometimes the benefits outweigh the risks when there are too many false positives that require further invasive diagnostic procedures or when detection of carcinoma in situ leads to aggressive treatment of disease that may have never become clinically relevant. There are options of using other imaging approaches such MRI, ultrasound, and thermography, as well as offering genetic screening. It is also a timely opportunity to investigate an intuitive approach to self-care using dreams as a supplement to breast self-examination. A recent survey of 18 women, from around the world, who had life-changing warning dreams of breast cancer prior to symptoms that prompted medical attention leading directly to diagnosis will be reviewed.